Mrs. Blue Whale you have my dog Fin’s attention! What a day this was from last July. Every blue whale summer is different off San Diego, and while June is usually the most reliable month to see them, the season often has various peaks and valleys throughout the summer. During this stretch in mid-July, we found an area 60 miles from Mission Bay where over a 100 blue whales all feeding within 4-5 miles of each other! When the weather would allow us to reach this spot, it was nothing short of magical. On this especially calm day, Fin came along for the ride to spend time with his favorite animals. We drifted with our motors off to take in the amazing sights and sounds of the largest animal to ever live. While this large(and skinny) female blue whale is the animal you see in the video, if you listen closely you can hear the spouts of the numerous other whales that happened to be surfacing nearby! This particular whale had a calf with her. Mother blue whales tend to be pretty skinny when we see them, as they have to provide not only for themselves, but for their offspring as well. Luckily there was a lot of krill in this area, so hopefully she was able to fatten herself back up!

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16 days ago

A World of Whales! That’s the title to my latest long-form project: an hour and fifteen cinematic experience of pure ocean ambience featuring blue, fin, humpback, minke, and gray whales alongside orcas and common dolphins. This compilation blends soothing ambient music, natural ocean sounds, and features numerous uninterrupted one-shots that invite you to feel like you’re truly out at sea! Whether you’re meditating, studying, doing laundry, or winding down for the night, let the gentle rhythm of the Pacific and the presence of these amazing animals calm your mind. This is certainly a new type of project for me, so please head over to my YouTube to check it out and leave a comment letting me know what you think!

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18 days ago

5,000 dolphins all taking off at top speed in a stampede! In my opinion this is one of the greatest spectacles in nature! Viewed aboard @gonewhalewatching

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27 days ago

“I’m against gay sex because it isn’t part of nature.” “It’s not natural”… I guess these 60,000 pound gray whales are out here rubbing their slinky sea snakes all over each other for the camera just to make a buck selling it on OnlyFins™️…Certainly couldn’t be a totally normal thing that’s part of nature right!? Jokes aside, homosexual behavior is a well-documented and natural part of the animal kingdom. Scientists have observed same-sex pairings, courtship, mating, and long-term bonds in over 1,500 species, including whales, dolphins, penguins, bonobos, giraffes, and lions. These behaviors aren’t just random, rather they often serve social, emotional, and even survival-related purposes within species. In the case of these Gray Whales, same-sex interactions are particularly common. Male gray whales have been seen engaging in mutual sexual behaviors that appear to strengthen social bonds or perhaps establish dominance. They also seem to just be doing it…for fun. In other words: homosexuality isn’t just natural, it’s a very real part of daily life in the ocean. Happy Pride Month! 🐋🌈

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06-02

Giants in San Diego! Blue Whale season has officially arrived in San Diego! Today was our first ever Blue Whale Extended Tour aboard the Hana Hou, and we had so many amazing looks at the largest animal to ever live! The drone view really allows you to get a sense for just how massive these animals really are! We’ve got a beautiful weekend ahead, so grab a spot on any of our trips for an excellent chance to see a real life giant! Viewed today aboard @gonewhalewatching with our amazing crew including @saltheetai, @jess_whales, and @erica.sackrison!

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05-30

Probably one of my favorite breach shots I’ve ever taken! With the Humpback activity continuing to be incredibly strong this spring in San Diego with @gonewhalewatching, I wanted to reshare this clip from a couple of years ago! Our focus is definitely about to switch primarily to Blue Whales, but these Humpbacks are really vying for our attention! We have space available all week! www.gonewhalewatching.com

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05-27

Blue Whale charging full speed ahead! What an amazing day it was with @gonewhalewatching! Erica and I were out on the scouting boat today and found at least ten Blue Whales, most of which were in range of our 2.5 hour trips! To that point, Captain Michael on the Hana Hou spent time with 3 Blue Whales, as well as a Fin Whale on the 11am trip today! The weather this week is looking top tier, and the Blue Whales are arriving in San Diego! While nothing can ever be guaranteed with wild animals, this would be an excellent week to come out with us to search for the largest animal on earth! For tickets visit: www.gonewhalewatching.com

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05-20

An Eastern Tropical Pacific killer whale explodes out of the water from our stern wake! This pod of ETPs has developed a unique habit known as “stern wake riding,” where they actively seek out boats moving at a moderate speed just to surf the waves. It’s a learned behavior shared within this specific group, and not something all orcas do. For 99% of orca interactions in California, it’s much better to stay off to the side of the pod at a slow speed and a bit of a distance…but this group actually goes out of its way to target boats that are already moving at higher speeds in order the play in the waves. Our boat did not run on top of them to create this interaction, rather the second they saw us moving away they bolted for our stern! The safest thing to do for the orcas(and for us), is to not do something unpredictable like changing course or speed until the orcas have had their fun and move on. This moment inspired a deeper dive on my YouTube channel of this behavior and more, where I explore how orcas across the world have different cultures, behaviors, and even short-lived fads. I connect this to the now infamous orca/sailboat/rudder interactions off Spain’s coast, and explain why those events aren’t “attacks,” but part of a passing behavioral trend within one distinct orca population. I also touch on the harm caused by sensational headlines used in news stories about Killer Whales, and why language matters when it comes to protecting these animals. Watch the full video now on my YouTube!

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05-18

The grandest mother of them all! Happy Mother’s Day from myself and the entire Gone Watching Team!

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05-11